the place of engineers in a failing economy

One may wonder in a economy such as our where we see degradation every day, are there no engineers, and if they are what are they doing to see that the economy is revived.

WHO ARE ENGINEERS?

An engineer is a person who by the virtue of his training conceives solutions to problems, translates these into designs and plans; he then employs materials and energy resources to translate the design into structures to meet man’s needs.

What then are the functions of an engineer in the economy:

·        Research

·        Design and development of projects

·        Construction

·        Production

·        Operation of machines, plants and organizing power, transportation and communication.

·        Maintenance

·        Management, planning control of manpower and labour to meet specific goals.

What are the problems facing engineers in Nigeria?

·        Many of our industries, especially the large scale industries, depend heavily on imported raw materials and are running at low installed capacity due to the difficulty in obtaining imported raw materials because of high exchange rates.

·        The spare parts needed to run some of our industries are usually also imported and are in short supply due to the foreign exchange problems, thus also affecting production capacity and creating maintenance problems.

·        Lack of basic engineering industries to manufacture spare parts and machine production to enhance sustainability of existing industries and establishment of new ones.

·        Poor infrastructural services, which result in inadequate power and water supply, affects and add to cost of operation and production of the industries.

·        Lack of adequate patronage of local companies by government especially in construction and oil industries, as there is usually a preference for foreign firms.

·        Inadequate facilities and funding of our universities, polytechnics and research institutes, thus hindering effective training and production of manpower, and research and development efforts.

·        Low remuneration of engineers in the public sector is affecting the engineers’ commitment and practice.

·        The problem of corruption in the civil service is undermining the proper maintenance and supervision of engineering projects.

·        Inadequate financial resources for modern production and enterprise.

·        Most engineers study with the aim of passing exams and not to be recreational in their various field of study.

What is the way forward?

·        The government should encourage the organized private sector to locally manufacture and provide spare parts and should also revamp the country’s steel companies.

·        Private participation in engineering infrastructural development such as power generation, water supply, telecommunications, etc. should be encouraged by the government.

·        Remuneration for engineers in the public services should be enhanced.

·        The Nigeria society of engineers should disseminate information that will promote entrepreneurship and development of small and medium scale industries.

·        Government should increase its patronage of local engineering firms.

·        Government should improve the funding of the research institutes, universities and polytechnics to enhance research and development activities.

·        All practicing engineers should understand their reasons for study in their various field, it is more than passing exams it is about building a better economy its is about meeting up to the  call.

Engineers is more than just a name it is HOPE  for a better economy, it is time the engineers of the generation wake up and restore hope to this failing economy, it is time we no longer depend on foreign countries for technological advancement and industrial development, it is time we make our own industries, our own technologies, it is time we show our place in this failing economy, it’s time we are called “ENGINEERS”.